Solid electrolytic capacitors, such as tantalum capacitors, are traditionally known for their high capacitance value and compactness. Fuses are often employed in such capacitors to prevent burning upon exposure to overcurrent conditions. A typical fuse assembly employs a small conductive wire that disintegrates in response to excessive electrical current. Typically, one end of the fuse is soldered to a metal conducting foil edge of an electrolytic capacitor element and the other end of the fuse is soldered to a metal collector bus. When an electrolytic capacitor element fails, it creates a short circuit through which energy stored therein may discharge. The fuse disintegrates in response to the excessive current resulting from this discharge, which breaks the electrical connection between the failed element and the collector bus. Because the failed element is thus removed from the circuit, the capacitor can continue to operate using the remaining elements until enough elements fail to cause overvoltage or unbalance conditions that exceed set protective levels. Unfortunately, however, the use of a fusible protective feature in a capacitor assembly may have an adverse effect on electrical performance. For example, the overall equivalent series resistance (ESR) of a finished device often increases upon incorporation of a fuse.
As such, a need currently exists for a relatively simple and inexpensive fused capacitor assembly that is able to better satisfy industry requirements regarding size and performance.